Cognitive versus technical debriefing after simulation training.

Background: Recent literature describes "cognitive dispositions to respond" (CDRs) that may lead physicians to err in their clinical reasoning.

Objectives: To assess learner perception of high-fidelity mannequin-based simulation and debriefing to improve understanding of CDRs.

Methods: Emergency medicine (EM) residents were exposed to two simulations designed to bring out the CDR concept known as "vertical line failure.

Using simulation to instruct emergency medicine residents in cognitive forcing strategies.

Purpose: Recent literature defines certain cognitive errors that emergency physicians will likely encounter. The authors have utilized simulation and debriefing to teach the concepts of metacognition and error avoidance.

Method: The authors conducted a qualitative study of an educational intervention at Lehigh Valley Hospital during academic year 2002-03.